Xbox Series console pre-orders in North America will go fast and cause much frustration, if the experience had in Australia and New Zealand this morning is any indicator.
Here within Australia, launch day pre-orders were exhausted within 10-15 minutes, with a majority of customers — at least, according to Twitter — missing out on one entirely. At the time of writing, Amazon Australia has yet to open pre-orders while EB Games, the Microsoft Store, Harvey Norman and Big W are sold out.
EB Games will open up post-launch pre-orders from 12 pm AEST, Telstra is offering “Wave 2” console delivery via Xbox All Access and some are still finding success securing an order on JB Hi-Fi’s website. The problem with JB, though, is that the retailer never promised a launch-day delivery at any point today, and it stands to reason it doesn’t have an infinitely larger allocation of stock than others including Microsoft’s own storefront.
Update, 22 September 3.00 pm AEST: Some seven hours after pre-orders came and went, retailer EB Games is now advising customers of issued faced at 8.00 am that now mean a number of unconfirmed pre-orders have since been accepted. Check your email if you tried securing a pre-order earlier today.
Update, 22 September 3.30 pm AEST: Retailer Target has started to advise Click and Collect customers if their lodged pre-orders have been confirmed or rejected. Again, check those emails.
Update, 23 September: Telstra is now informing Wave 2 pre-order customers that stock has been shifted from brick and mortar stores back to online orders, meaning some pre-orders have been reclassified as Wave 1 (or launch day consoles). We’re sounding like a broken record here, but check those emails.
This new wave of pre-order disappoint comes fresh off similar experiences with Sony’s PS5 and Nvidia’s Founders Edition RTX 3080. Be warned, North America — things will likely get ugly (but that said, good luck!).
North American pre-orders go live from 8.00 am PT.
Despite site issues I’ve been clicking pay now with all details in, final step of cart since 8:01am, and after 20 minutes of loading errors receive this. Please tell me this is all just a mistake?? Missed out on PS5, was here an hour early, did nothing wrong? 😥 pic.twitter.com/ES0gK8wyAg
— Corey Ware ✏️ 光 (@CoreyHikari) September 21, 2020
It's absolutely fucking shit. I had my profile singed in ready to go and I get logged out because EB servers are connected via potato and wires.
— Luke Green (@Retro_1993) September 21, 2020
JB won't even let me past the Enter Your Address screen :S
— David Smith (@RhunWords) September 21, 2020
this is fun pic.twitter.com/oeyIWlDSuU
— KROWEE_STRONG (@krowee_strong) September 21, 2020
I had one IN MY DAMN CART THE WHOLE TIME and you wouldn't let me pay for it "too many attempts, try again later". WHAT THE HELL
— Teegan (ง'̀-'́)ง (@ItMeTeegan) September 21, 2020
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